The Phantom King
by Glorious Demon
Summary: This story details the youth of a new species of Pokemon in the Sinnoh Region, as he grows up and rises to power. He deals with the circumstances of his birth and personality until some key events lead him to endanger human civilization as we know it.


**Birth**

A terrifying sound filled the Eterna Forest. It came as no surprise that one might have heard a Gengar that night, as ghosts frequented the woods every night. What made this cry evermore frightening was that it wasn't the sinister laughter typical of the Chateau's phantoms. Rather, the sound was profound mourning. Both unprecedented and ironic, the Gengar's cries caused many Pokemon to evacuate the forest as quickly as possible, for what horrors could make a Gengar grieve?

The answer, so witnessed the few Pokemon bold enough to investigate, wasn't as unnatural as one might have believed. A dozen Murkrow, headed by a Honchkrow, took posts at trees bordering the fence of the Chateau, where the ghastly cries were coming from. A trio of bug Pokemon, with a Cascoon shell in tow, was so curious as to actually breach the haunted portal. The door creaked noisily as it opened, but that was nothing compared to the cries they'd come to investigate. Door aside, the three began hearing a softer weeping accompanying the Gengar's cries. The muffled sobs sounded like a Banette.

"Gentlemen!" the voice of an effeminate Pokemon called from within the hollow shell. The beckoning of her voice caused the trio to halt. The middle Pokemon, a Skorupi, went militarily rigid. The two Wurmple rolled their eyes before lying down. "What in the name of Honey is going on out there?"

"Milady," the Skorupi replied in a stern tone, "we have breeched the outer wall of the Chateau."

"Have you found out why Makata is making that awful racket?"

"With all due respect, Princess," interjected one of the Wurmple, "he's crying. I think it best we just-"

"_I_ think it best that you do as I say, servant!" she replied.

"Forgive, Your Majesty," the other Wurmple spoke cautiously, "but I think he's right." Suddenly, an azure claw came within an inch of his face. The arachnid's appendage snapped shut, creating a loud clicking sound.

"Do not question Her Grace's command!" the Skorupi hissed dangerously.

"Hold, Klamur," she ordered. "I don't want his fluids staining my carriage."

"Yeah," mumbled the first Wurmple, "we all know what a shame that'd be…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Your Highness." He rolled his eyes once more.

"Good. Onward, subjects!" The Wurmples groaned as if fatigued while Klamur promptly commenced marching. He felt a snag and quickly found himself struggling. He looked over his shoulders to find the Wurmple still not doing their end of the work. He hissed angrily to himself, skittered back until he was behind the Wurmple, and firmly pinched their respective tail ends. With yelps of pain, they were back up and squirming madly. Satisfied with his prompting, Klamur returned to his spot ahead of the lot. As they reached the stairs, the mournful cries of the Gengar at last died into nothingness, leaving only the Banette's disquieted sobs to echo throughout that lifeless place. This time, the trio halted without prompting.

"You hear that, Sil?" the first Wurmple whispered. The other Wurmple began to shake nervously.

"I'm scared, Cas," he replied after moment of silent fear.

"Well, that wretched noise finally stopped." She sighed sleepily. "Turn around. We don't need to see Makata after all."

"Are you kidding me?!" Cas growled in frustration. After a moment of silence, he grumbled and began turning around. Sil squirmed as if about to say something, but he declined.

"Your Eminence," Klamur spoke firmly, "I must protest."

"You _what_?"

"If we back down now, then our quest shall have been for naught." A short inhalation sounded from inside the cocoon as if to signal a royal decree, but Klamur continued. "We must determine the cause of the distress, in case the problem resurfaces. We can eliminate it at the source and _ensure_ this disturbance doesn't repeat itself." A silence fell upon the four of them as the sobbing came to a sniffled stop. Eventually, a sigh echoed from the hollow shell.

"Very well. Proceed." The Wurmple were glad they weren't in charge, for once. Cas glanced up the stairway and snickered. _I almost feel sorry for that guy,_ he thought as he glanced at Klamur. The Skorupi lifted the shell and its delicate cargo, took the string tied to his back, and used it to stick the shell directly on his back. He then gave the command for the others to go ahead. Neither Her Majesty nor her vessel carried much weight, but she wished not to be jolted about during the ascent. As the Wurmple's strings pulled taut, Klamur let out a deep sigh. He could see how easily Cas and Sil glided up the stairs. He found it hard enough to climb, given his body's build, but with the spacious shell he couldn't even get the necessary arch. That's where the others came in. They began to pull hard, managing to stretch the string on Klamur's back. Not much, but just enough space to bend his back. The pull also eased his climb a bit. After he made the first step, the Wurmple ascended, and the process repeated. It went much quicker when the first two reached the top and could just pull. Upon the final step, Klamur slipped and fell back. He caught himself by stabbing his claws into the wooden floor, but that shell felt much heavier now.

"What's going on, ruffian?!" she snapped angrily. Sil began freaking out trying and failing to calm himself.

"Just pull, you digit!" Cas shouted. Sil regained just enough of his sense to follow the orders. The two struggled and made no headway. Frustrated, Cas growled, "Are you even trying, leg-head?" Klamur, who would've been sweating profusely had he pores, groaned under much distress.

"I... can't..." he said, nearly coughing the words out. His face showed an effort beyond his abilities. "It's futile..." The claws moved through the wood towards Klamur. The wood of the stairs was giving way. He could only think of one thing to do. "Fly, milady! It does not matter if I fall. It is the only way to keep you from harm!"

"Just thought of something," Cas chimed in.

"Yeah?" Sil squeaked under the stress.

"Why would humans make these steps so big?"

"...What?!" The other two asked the same question

"It's a legitimate question, isn't it?"

"Your Majesty!" Klamur cried. At that moment, a Pokemon emerged from the shell. The opening looked unnatural, as if it had been resealed beforehand. A Combee of lustrous sheen fluttered in the air, a frightened look on her face. The force of the emergence knocked Klamur free of the step, and he began the cruel descent. Landing hard on random steps, he yelped in pain on every one. The royal carriage became battered and mangled, until only a small piece, about one inch in diameter, remained on his back. As the others watched, wincing with each bounce, the Skorupi finally hit the bottom… On his head.

Genuinely concerned, the Combee shouted, "Klamur, are you alright?" Silence… "Good knight?" Still no response. Through the darkness, however, she could discern movement. He was still alive.

"I'm…" his voice spoke weakly, "…just fi-" From the motions in the dark, it seemed to the others that he slipped and fell mid-speech. Again, the pained voice called from below, but with more conviction. "Excellent, my liege!"

Relieved, she replied, "That's grand. Gentlemen, retrieve Sir Klamur, will you?"

Cas glanced to Sil, mumbling, "Oh, we're _gentlemen_ now…"

"I d-don't wan-na," Sil stammered.

"Huh?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean…" Sil began squirming in place. "…He pinches. Really hard…" The Combee, looking personally offended, prepared to retort, but Cas saw this and interjected.

"Come on, Sil, let's just do it already."

"I _told_ you, I don't wanna get pinched!"

"He's not gonna pinch you, ya big Caterpie…" Reluctantly, Sil caved in. At _Her Majesty's_ nagging, the descent was hastily made.

"Oh good," came the weak reply as they reached the bottom, "you're here."

"Oh _now_ he's nice to us..."

"Don't worry big guy, we'll get you up 'n running again."

"I wish… it was I… taking you two…"

"Stop talking like that. It's annoying."

"Do ya think she'll give us more honey for this? I-I mean, with the rescue and all-"

"She's _making_ you do this, remember? '_I do-on't wa-anna_.'"

"Actually, I said it like-"

"**Whatever!**"

The whole while, the three of them were using their strings to hoist Klamur's forelimbs over the backs of the two larval Pokemon and tying them to the sides. Now that they'd accomplished said goal, It was time for the re-ascent.

"So, leg-head," Cas asked, "are you gonna throw in a little stepping power, or are we just gonna be dragging you up?"

"I'll do my best, but I doubt I'll be much help now."

"Sure…"

"Gentlemen, please hurry up," the Combee urged from above. "It's… a bit lonely up here…" She shivered, and anxious look on her face.

"Coming, Your Majesty," Cas groaned. He turned to Sil. "Ready?"

"Ready and raring," he replied cheerfully. Cas stared.

"Hey, what's with the smiles all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. I just got a feeling that things are going to be a lot better. …Like we're gonna see something _really_ special and happy!"

"Sil, a Gengar was freakin' crying. _Crying_! I mean, what makes a Gengar do that?"

"**Gentlemen!!!**" the Combee cried out impatiently.

"S-sorry, Ma'am!" And with that, the three commenced the climb. Much to everyone's surprise, they reached the top without further incident. The Wurmples then quickly detached themselves from Klamur and let him down gently.

Lowering herself almost to the floor, the Combee inquired, "Are you alright, Sir?"

"Did you _**not**_ see him fall?!" She glared at Cas. "Sorry, Your Highness."

Rising to a shaky stand, Klamur replied, "It is good to see _you_ are unharmed, milady." She sighed and gave him a grand smile.

"Not this again," Cas mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, come on, Cas. I think it's kinda sweet." Another sigh echoed through the mansion, but it came not from the Combee. It was one of muffled suspense, of a Banette. Only Cas seemed to notice, who turned his head to face another set of double doors.

"Hey guys, did you hear…" he trailed off as he looked to the others. Sil seemed busy staring admirably at the other two, the "good knight" and his lady. "…I guess not." Then came a low, sinister chuckle. Cas noticed the others had suddenly shifted their complete focus to the door from which the sound came. The chuckle rose in pitch and volume until the mansion, and quite possibly the forest, was filled with the haunting laughter of the Gengar. Sil was no longer the only Pokemon around who'd lost his nerve. From outside, the royal entourage could hear the frightened cries of Murkrows growing distant. The laughter died down, followed by a low, hoarse voice.

"He lives…" it said, sending shivers down their spines. As if on cue, the doors opened slowly, creaking from lack of use.

"Makata?" the Combee managed to ask. From the darkness, a Gengar slowly drifted forth, a bundle of black cloth in his arms. In the room, peering around him, were a pair of yellow eyes. The black, rectangular pupils were twitching back and forth, looking at each of the insects in turn.

"Annie," the Gengar whispered, "it's my son. He lives." From an opening in the cloth, the Combee noticed a pair of tiny eyes, quite similar to the Banette's. The eyes were rounder and much less threatening, however. Still, the eyes made her shudder. Raising the newborn high, Makata cried triumphantly, "**My son lives!**"


End file.
